Method and system for controlling a scheduling order per daypart category in a music scheduling system

Abstract

A system and method for controlling a scheduling order per category is disclosed. A scheduling order can be designated for the delivery and playback of multimedia content (e.g., music, news, other audio, advertising, etc) with respect to particular slots within the scheduling order. The broadcast day is divided into dayparts according to specific time slots. The dayparts are assigned with specific daypart categories wherein multimedia is scheduled. The scheduling order can be configured to include a slotted by daypart scheduling technique to control the scheduling order for the eventual airplay of the multimedia content over a radio station or network of associated radio stations.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for controlling a scheduling order, said method comprising:
 designating a scheduling order for the delivery and playback of multimedia content based on the position of particular time slots within a daypart region within said scheduling order, by executing a program instruction in a data processing apparatus, wherein the daypart region comprises a block of consecutive time slots; and 
 configuring said scheduling order using a daypart scheduling technique of said multimedia content to optimize rotation of said multimedia content in different playback categories for the eventual airplay of said multimedia content, by executing a program instruction in a data processing apparatus, wherein optimizing rotation of said multimedia content prevents scheduling of the same multimedia content adjacent to itself within a time slot and within the same time slot of adjacent broadcast days. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 selecting said multimedia content for scheduling by executing a program instruction in a data processing apparatus; and 
 specifying a daypart category for scheduling of said multimedia content by executing a program instruction in a data processing apparatus. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2  further comprising assigning daypart category membership for said multimedia content within said daypart region by executing a program instruction in a data processing apparatus. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 2  further comprising specifying a scheduling order of said multimedia for said daypart category by executing a program instruction in a data processing apparatus. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1  further comprising scheduling said multimedia content within a pre-determined daypart category position in a broadcast day by executing a program instruction in a data processing apparatus, wherein said broadcast day comprises twenty-four contiguous hours. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1  further comprising scheduling dayparts in chronological order within a broadcast day by executing a program instruction in a data processing apparatus. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6  further comprising scheduling dayparts in a forward chronological order wherein dayparts occurring earlier in said broadcast day are scheduled first followed by scheduling consecutively later dayparts, by executing a program instruction in a data processing apparatus. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 6  further comprising scheduling dayparts in a reverse chronological order wherein dayparts occurring later in said broadcast day are scheduled first followed by scheduling consecutively earlier dayparts, by executing a program instruction in a data processing apparatus. 
     
     
       9. A system for controlling a scheduling order, said system comprising:
 a processor; 
 a data bus coupled to said processor; and 
 a computer-usable medium embodying computer code, said computer-usable medium being coupled to said data bus, said computer program code comprising instructions executable by said processor and configured for:
 designating a scheduling order for the delivery and playback of multimedia content based on the position of particular time slots within a daypart region within said scheduling order, wherein the daypart region is a block of consecutive time slots; and 
 configuring said scheduling order using a daypart scheduling technique of said multimedia content to optimize rotation of said multimedia content in different playback categories for the eventual airplay of said multimedia content, wherein optimizing rotation of said multimedia content prevents scheduling of the same multimedia content adjacent to itself within a time slot and within the same time slot of adjacent broadcast days. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 9  wherein said instructions are further configured for: selecting said multimedia content for scheduling; and specifying a daypart category for scheduling of said multimedia content. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 10  wherein said instructions are further configured for assigning daypart category membership for said multimedia content within said daypart region. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 10  wherein said instructions are further configured for: specifying a scheduling order of said multimedia for said daypart category. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 9  wherein said instructions are further configured for: scheduling said multimedia content within a pre-determined daypart category position in a broadcast day, wherein said broadcast day comprises twenty-four contiguous hours. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 9  wherein said instructions are further configured for scheduling dayparts in chronological order within a broadcast day. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 14  wherein said instructions are further configured for scheduling dayparts in a forward chronological order wherein dayparts occurring earlier in said broadcast day are scheduled first followed by scheduling consecutively later dayparts. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 14  wherein said instructions are further configured for scheduling dayparts in a reverse chronological order wherein dayparts occurring later in said broadcast day are scheduled first followed by scheduling consecutively earlier dayparts.